Chartwells

This week we had the first Chartwells meeting in Mather at 4:30 on Tuesday. Below are a list of issues that were discussed both in that meeting and in prior meetings i have had with him.

healthier options: if everything was cooked with less butter, less salt, mather is a hit or miss, only sometimes is it good, prepare to order instead of bulk**
a more centralized vegetarian section in mather, there used to be a space a few years ago where they had a vegetarian space but after renovation it was taken away
the prices in the Cave being very high but understandable since Chartwells would buy the product for a more expensive price: Naked juice he already buys for more expensive than he charges **
Amy vegetarian and organic option price too high, looking to put cheaper option but no space in Cave as of now **
need more variety in the cave, solution: rotate products so that there are specials on some days, cycle it **
slow service in Cave grill, Mather grill and Mather stir fry (more workers?) **
cleaner utensils: training
better cooking, making it as tasteful as it seems: training
fix soda machine: tuned up soda machine to make sure it was the personnel not the machine that is not doing their job

personal suggestions
entenmann’s variety increase?
hot water for ice cream?
Haagen Daz pints?
more variety of ice cream in freezer in Cave/ Bistro
change hours of operation: need the school to back that, can send survey out to students to see if they want to do that
extend Mather hours?
why is there a Mather only meal plan? (overcrowdedness?)
cook meat in Mather differently, make it authentic: Korean BBQ, Thai food =D

Toby’s projects
sent out a survey- switched from paper to online this year, got 200 responses, usually get 600
candied apples, cupcakes
Bantam bar: candy bar
ice cream cake in the cave: success
amnesty program: bring cups back
text on campus: you get a text once a week stating what the specials are (would email do as well? well then it doesn’t get to everyone at the right moment b/c when u get a text, ur with ur friends)

new ideas
get a feedback comment piece and put them on the table so people can say if they like or dislike the food (committee meeting)
survey on what entree to eat the following week while waiting in line (toby)
placing more computers in other locations: security!? who can we ask about logistics? toby is interested (infrastructure meeting)

discussion for next time
lunch should start at a specific hour, students come into hall expecting lunch and leave hungry
“green” cupcakes have no labels so students don’t know purpose of cupcakes ( to promote dorm wars)
how was pub night?
revising meal plan: less flex dollars?
flex everything?

7 Comments

• 
  Will Yale November 9, 2009 at 9:44 pm

  Two ideas:

  First: Andrea’s question in a previous post on the variety of salad dressings in the Bistro.
  Second: bringing back napkin dispensers on tables in the Cave instead of a centralized napkin repository.
• 
  Blake Fisher November 9, 2009 at 11:18 pm

  As you move into your discussion for next time I would like to point out that all feedback I heard from upperclassmen regarding Pub Night was positive so please do not let the discussion move towards reducing or preventing future pub nights.
• 
  panida November 10, 2009 at 2:28 pm

  For Pub Night, I have also heard positive responses and I will move to make it an even that stays. I believe the more events we have the better.
• 
  Gregory Moniz November 12, 2009 at 11:05 pm

  I don’t think Amy’s products should be discontinued simply because of high price. I’ve taken advantage of this better-than-average quality product often, and they seem to be a big hit since they are often out of stock. So I would caution against discontinuing the carrying of Amy’s products. After all, the discrepancy between the $6.99 and the $5.75 can easily be made up through Flex Dollars.
• 
  Panida November 13, 2009 at 3:10 am

  No, we are not looking to replace Amy’s products but offer both an organic vegetarian option and a simply vegetarian option that is cheaper. That way we can keep Amy’s as an option for you and others like you (I have friends who eat Amy’s all the time too) while providing those who would rather not pay over a meal for a vegetarian option to choose the other product.
• 
  Maggie November 17, 2009 at 2:27 am

  I have a suggestion for Chartwells.
  They need hot milk!
  I know a lot of students (including myself) who would love to have a cup of hot chocolate with hot milk and not hot water!
  Yes, students could warm up their milk in a microwave but can’t they do that for water too?
  Just throwing this idea out there.
• 
  Panida November 17, 2009 at 9:19 am

  Well personally I take the hot chocolate near the soda stand and add cold milk to it. But I guess that’s not that hot once you mix the two. I’ll bring it up! Thanks!